Broken Promises
by bittersweet partings
Summary: VH-this is my first fanfic…so well see how it goes…seven years after she returned to earth, Hitomi’s life is seemingly going back to normal, until she has a dream about the love she left behind.
1. prologue

**Author's Note:** Here's my first attempt at a fic. I know its really short but it's the prologue and the rest of the chapters will be longer…hopefully…Well the story begins seven years after the end of the series when Hitomi leaves Van :( And the rest will unfold later…k I'll stop rambling now and let you get on with the fic.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Escaflowne or any of the characters so…yeah you get the point.

PROLOGUE:

She sat by the coast of the beach, enjoying the dancing waves lit by the moon. An unconscious smile of peace and contentment played across her features. Sensing the presence of someone near her, she turned, surprised to see the man who stood before her.

"Van?" she asked in disbelief, the intensity of his stare causing her to look away.

Shaking, Van took her hands in his, whispering, "Hitomi, there's something I need to know, and I want you to answer truthfully, no matter how painful it may be. I need to know if you still love me."

Immediately, her head shot up to face a pair of burning mahogany eyes. She stood there, speechless and unable to answer his question.

Taking in the meaning of her silence, he looked away, not wanting her to see the pain in his eyes as his heart shattered. Softy, he murmured, "I love you so much – I always will. But happiness cannot last forever. Whatever happens, I will wait for you." He unclasped the pink pendant hanging about his neck and delicately placed it in her hand. The very pendant that had brought her to this crossroad of fates. The girl choked back a sob and focused on the crimson jewel, determined not to let her tears escape. He leaned down, about to kiss her one last time, but stopped and abruptly turned, walking away. "Good-bye, Hitomi."

Sitting up from her bed, Hitomi gasped for air, realizing where she was. Sighing, a wave of relief washed over her. "It was only a dream," she convinced herself. She gazed at the brilliant engagement ring on her hand. Staring at the night sky, Hitomi whispered to no one in particular, "why is it that after seven years, I still cannot forget you?"


	2. distant longing

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Escaflowne or any of the characters so…yeah you get the point.

Hitomi Kanzaki sat in the coffee shop, making futile attempts at keeping herself awake. She'd hoped the caffeine boost and the rich aroma of the coffee would soothe the dull throbbing waves of pain in her head. Unfortunately, the opposite proved to be true. 'Dammit! Why did Van suddenly pop into my dreams? Only two hours of sleep last night over someone who most likely has forgotten I ever existed. Just as I've managed to piece my life together it all threatens to fall apart again. Why can't I just be happy for myself? I'm engaged to Nathan, the "perfect man", or so the world seems to think. I no longer belong to Van, if I ever did in the first place.' She recalled her conversation last week with her friend Yukari.

Flashback

_They were sitting in a café, with Hitomi staring at her untouched plate of salad while her best friend continues to stuff her face as though she hadn't eaten for weeks._

_Quietly, Hitomi asked in a faltering voice, "Yukari, how do you know if you love someone?"_

_After swallowing her mouthful of food, Yukari looked up to see her friend, who suddenly developed an interest in her salad, averting her gaze. Casually, she stated, "This is about Nathan again isn't it? 'Tomi, I've told you over and over again, don't worry about it! You're just anxious about the wedding. Before Amano and I tied the knot, I was just as concerned as you are now. Nathan's one of the most successful business leaders at only 26, with the looks and charms to make any girl swoon. And he's sweet too. What's there not to love?"_

"_I know, I know, but...well, how do you know you love Amano?"_

_After thinking a while, she finally responded with, "It's hard to explain, I guess I always have an idiotic grin on my face whenever I think about him, and I do the craziest things around him but I still don't feel stupid or out of place. But what stands out the most is how I don't feel whole when he's not there, as if a part of me is missing."_

Flashback End

Absently, she turned her engagement ring to catch the light-a nervous habit. 'As if a part of me is missing.' Her thoughts return to the young Fanelian king. 'I loved him back then. Seven years ago, I loved him more passionately than I thought possible, but I left him. What the hell was I thinking? That it would be less painful to forget him when that is completely impossible? I left him when I should have stayed.' She paused, raising an eyebrow at her thoughts. Since when was 'could' interchangeable with 'should'? Her musings were suddenly interrupted by a pressure on her shoulders. She turned around, her eyes traveling from a pair of hands up well toned arms and finally to the face of her offender. The girl was greeted by a pair of vivid sapphire eyes an a charming smile as their owner pulled up a chair next to her.

"Hi Nathan," she said inattentively, her thoughts still lingering on Van.

The blonde man reached over and took a sip of her coffee. Immediately, a repulsive look replaced his smirk as he complained in disgust, "Lukewarm black coffee. Been waiting for me?"

Hitomi finally snapped out of her daze. "Sorry…what?"

"Nothing, just came to inform you of your bad taste in coffee, its cold by the way. And to make sure you weren't killing the people who prepared it horribly. Well I'm going ok?"

She nodded absently.

"Don't forget about the party tonight."

"Party? For what?" she asked, her mind in complete chaos.

"The business thing tonight. I'll pick you up at eight. Hey, try to pull yourself together, otherwise my colleagues will think I'm marrying a nutcase."

"Oh that, yeah, sure," she replied. This day was only getting worse. She had wanted to fall back into her bed and sleep most of the day off after a busy week. Now she was expected to attend a pointless party with a fake, polite smile plastered on her face and be shown off by her fiancé as if she were some trophy. And those uncomfortable dresses! She froze, spurting out, "Shit! I still have to pick out another dress for tonight!"

The young man shook his head in pity, "You've really been falling apart lately. I've got one for you already. Ask one of your maids, they should know where it is." He checks his watch and give her a peck on the cheek. "Bye," he quickly murmured. Once outside, Nathan took on an annoyed expression. 'Only because she is Kanzaki's daughter.'

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A tall young man gazes out of grand twenty foot windows, raven locks shielding his auburn eyes. His face conveys a faraway expression as he stands in the richly embellished room. His dress, consisting of a plain black cloak over his simple battle attire, clashed with the opulent finery of his surroundings. Still lost in his thoughts, he pushes open the gold inlaid doors and wanders out onto the balcony, inhaling the crisp autumn air.

"Hitomi…" he whispered. Frustrated, he runs his hand through a dark mass of hair. 'Why must I think about her every moment of my sad life?' He forced himself to think about the reconstruction of his country. Only seven years since it was burned down, Fanelia is now one of the most affluent nations in Gaea. The beginnings of restoration were pretty rough, and Van's only goal was to establish a functioning region for the survivors to live. However, as luck had it, he discovered that Fanelia was covered by large masses of energists. Rapidly, Fanelia's economy bloomed and the area became a center of culture. Now, the young king, not much more than a boy, stands as one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in all of Gaea. Yet he still finds himself unhappy. Although recently there were less state matters to attend to, Van nevertheless kept himself busy, fearing his thoughts would otherwise wander to more upsetting issues that would disturb his calm. The same subject currently plagued his mind as he attempted to relax during the two hours Merle had cleared in his schedule, declaring he needed more rest.

Against his will, his mind strayed back to his first love. "And probably my last," he muttered darkly. Through gritted teeth, he growled, "Stop…thinking…about…her!" 'It's been seven years,' he thought, 'for all I know she has forgotten who I am. We were fifteen! Fifteen! An age impossible for **love**. So why the hell do I keep thinking of her? I can't sleep at night because I'm too busy thinking of what could have been if I asked her to stay rather than dumbly watch her leave me forever. My advisors must be tired of the countless I use to put off their suggestions of marriage.' He sighed heavily, recalling Merle's statement. '_You're already twenty two, Lord Van, most kings have an heir or two by now! I know you still love Hitomi, but you're wasting away. Why don't you forget the past and begin looking forward?_'

"Why must life be so complicated?" He slammed his face onto the ivory railing of the balcony, hoping the pain would stop his flow of thoughts. Van looked over the banister at the ground several thousand feet below, wondering how long it would take for him to die if her were to take the plunge. Not long, a pretty simple solution to his problem, although quite cowardly was well. 'Ever the weakling are you, Van? Searching for the easiest way to escape from your most insignificant problems. But my, wouldn't **that** be an interesting sight?' He pictures his corpse, bloody and broken, lying in the middle of a road, and lets out and empty, mocking laugh before strolling back into his room.

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**A/N: **Thanks for everyone who reviewed. Hope this chapter didn't turn out to be a huge disaster or disappointment.


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